1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a back warning buzzer system (BWS) and a back warning method for an automotive vehicle having a trailer mounted thereto, and more particularly, to a back warning buzzer system and a back warning method, which automatically detects whether or not a trailer is being pulled by a rear portion of an automotive vehicle so as to allow a back warning buzzer system to be automatically turned on or off so that the back warning buzzer system is prevented from being erroneously operated in a state where the trailer has been towed behind the vehicle.
2. Background
Commercially available BWSs for automotive vehicles pose the following problems.
For example, when the vehicle is moved backwardly, BWS can be erroneously operated by continuously emitting a beeping sound. This is a result from the fact that BWS recognizes the trailer mounted to the vehicle as a rear object.
To overcome the above problem, some automotive vehicle manufacturers have separately installed an on/off switch for allowing a driver to turn the BWS on or off at the front side of a driver's seat after the trailer has been towed behind an automotive vehicle.
In case where the on/off switch is applied to the BWS, when the trailer is mounted to the vehicle, it is recognized as a rear object during the backup of the vehicle so that a beeping warning sound is not generated, thereby providing a merit. But a driver is not provided with an aid of the BWS during an attempt to back up for the purpose of parking in a state where the BWS has been turned off.
This is contrary to an intrinsic function of the back warning buzzer system which aids in recognizing any obstacle that may exist at the rear of an automotive vehicle during the reverse movement i.e., the backup of the vehicle.
In addition, prior to or after the mounting of the trailer to an automotive vehicle, if the BWS is not turned off previously upon an attempt to backup, a beeping warning sound is triggered due to the presence of the trailer, reducing the advantage associated with the on/off switch.
Moreover, as long as a driver does not manually depress an “off” button of the on/off switch of the BWS, there occurs a shortcoming such as the case where the on/off switch does not exist, causing an inconvenience to the driver. Furthermore, a serious safety problem may occur during the driving of the vehicle in a state where the BWS is turned off.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,864,782 discloses a backup aid system and method for detecting the presence of a trailer attached thereto, in which a backup aid controller monitors a voltage level at its input electrically coupled to an electrical trailer connector and when the voltage level is above a first predetermined threshold voltage, it generates a backup warning signal based on the determination that the trailer is not towed behind an automotive vehicle, and when the voltage level is below a second predetermined threshold voltage, it disables the backup warning signal based on the determination that the trailer is towed behind the vehicle. However, such a backup aid system also entails a demerit that since it is designed such that a voltage level generated upon the coupling between the trailer and the vehicle is monitored, a separate trailer connector is required.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a back warning buzzer system and back warning method for an automotive vehicle having a trailer mounted thereto, which can automatically detect whether or not a trailer is being pulled by a rear portion of the vehicle using plural sensors and vehicle speed sensors (VSSs) mounted at the back bumper of the vehicle even without separately installing an on/off switch of the back warning buzzer system so as to allow a back warning buzzer system to be automatically turned on or off so that the back warning buzzer system is prevented from being erroneously operated to continuously trigger a beeping warning sound in a state where the trailer has been towed behind the vehicle.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art that is already known to a person skilled in the art.